Scavenger Hunt
by HeyHeyItsEmily
Summary: Ryou decides to get a little...creative with Ichigo's birthday gift this year. What results is the recollection of memories both treasured and ill-favored.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, everyone! Been a while, huh? I've been really bored this Spring Break, and I got an idea for a story, so I wrote it down. It's going to have multiple chapters, which I also haven't done in a while, and I hope you like it! **

**Your humble servant,**

**SillyPurpleBubbles  
**

* * *

"Ryou, if you don't hurry up, I swear to God-"

"Oh, calm down, Strawberry! Open your eyes."

Ichigo huffed, opening her eyes to a small, pink rectangular box tied with a red ribbon. The curious girl cocked her head to the side.

"Well? Go on and open it," said Ryou, her boyfriend of three years. He was smiling gently, not hiding the eagerness he felt. She untied the ribbon, slowly in order to save it, earning a pair of rolled eyes from her significant other. Carefully removing the top of the box, she was further puzzled to find a colored note card in it. "Ryou, what on Earth..."

"Since you're not inclined to _actually_ work for your paycheck," he silenced her protests with a finger over her mouth, "I'm making you work for your birthday present. Use the cards to find it. Good luck." He then walked out nonchalantly, as if he had only come in to ask Ichigo the time or how she felt about the weather. She stared at the door for a few moments before inquiring, "What just happened?" to no one in particular. "Well, I guess I have nothing better to do." She removed the hot pink card from the box and read:

_Our favorite place_

"Hm...our favorite place..." Ichigo's face lit up quickly, knowing automatically to what he was referring. She hopped up, grabbed her jacket, and headed out the door to the lake. When she arrived, she took her shoes and socks off to walk through the sand, loving the feeling of the grainy stuff squeezing between her toes. She strolled slowly, remembering the evening that made this their favorite place...

* * *

"Hey, Ichigo?" The girl looked over at Ryou, who had broken the trance she was in from the sunbathing. "Mmm?"

"Mind if we take a walk?" Ichigo got up, yawned, brushed herself off, and took his offered hand. She was used to this, though initially, it had freaked her out. They had grown very close since her and Masaya's break-up, and hand-holding came natural to them now. He led her to the dock, released her hand, and leaning over the dock, staring at the vast expanse of water before him. She leaned next to him, enjoying the breeze on her face. "Keichiro took me here a lot when we first moved to Japan." She looked at him, seeing the far away look in his eyes that she knew meant he was thinking of his parents. "Any time I felt sad about my parents or I had been teased at school. Even if I was just in a bad mood, I came here. Something about this place, just...calms me down. It seemed like nothing or no one in the world could do that except this lake after my parents died." He turned to look at her. "Then you came into my life."

Her head whipped around to look at him, unsure she had just heard him correctly. "Ichigo, before I found you, I was thoroughly dissatisfied with life. I devoted myself to to the Mew Project during the week, left on Friday, came home stoned out of my mind on Sunday, and started the whole thing over on Monday. My life was a circle. It seemed like there was no beginning and no end, and it wouldn't stop. I was just there, waiting to die. For a while, when you came along, you annoyed the stuffing out of me," he stopped to chuckle at his memories, "Seriously, Ichigo, I though you must have been taking some kind of course in annoying your boss.

"Still, I realized that, for the first time since my parents' death, something was unpredictable. I didn't know what to expect with you around. I found myself...wanting to be around you. Wondering about you and what you were doing. Worrying when you went to battle. I was in fervent denial for a long time but, finally, I took comfort in knowing there was someone out there..." he turned to her and took her face into his hands, "Someone that I could love."

Ichigo gasped, her eyes wide open. "What...what did you say?" Ryou smiled, pushing loose strands of hair from her face, slowly replying, "I love you." Unable to hold back any longer, Ryou brought her face to his, slowly pressing his lips to hers. Immediately, Ichigo entered a trance, melting into his strong arms. She left her eyes open, enjoying the look of his face being this close and loving the feeling of his lips against hers. He slowly began to move his lips, gently massaging hers with his own, carefully moving his tongue into her mouth. Ichigo wrapped her arms around Ryou's neck, feeling like every vein in her body was bursting with electricity. She wished that time could just stop, and she could be there, in Ryou's arms, kissing him, and not caring about anything else but the two of them.

Ryou finally broke away from his love, looking into her eyes. Ichigo smiled. "I love you, Ryou," she said, letting a few tears escape. Ryou smiled back, picked her up bridal style, and spun her around, earning a shrieking laugh from her. Still in his arms, he kissed her forehead lightly, saying, "You have no idea how good it feels to hear you say that."

* * *

Ichigo smiled at the memory, loving how it made her feel when she recalled that pleasant afternoon. Walking up to the dock, she found a second card taped to the ledge, colored blue:

_You lost something here  
_

"Oh, boy," she said, once again recalling quite quickly what he meant, and quite unwilling to dust off that memory. With pertinent reluctance, Ichigo replaced he shoes, and continued on the hunt for her present.

_

* * *

_**Let me know what you think! Criticism is welcome and appreciated. I'll try my best to have the next chapter up soon, but I can't really promise anything. ^^;**

**SillyPurpleBubbles  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**It's 1am over here, and I've finally finished the new chapter! I didn't start it until 11pm, though. ^^; Hope you like this one!**

**Your humble servant,**

**SillyPurpleBubbles  
**

* * *

Ichigo arrived shortly at her new destination-a park bench. To most, this bench was a normal, everyday item, an average place to sit and rest. For, Ichigo, it gave her a cold feeling her in her stomach and a quiver down her spine that still remained relentless. She sat down on the bench, remembering what made this bench a bitter, bitter memory.

* * *

"Hey, Ichigo?" said Masaya, holding the girl's hand in his own. She turned to him, a small smile on her face. "Yes, Masaya?"

"We, uh...we need to talk." Immediately, Ichigo's face fell, and the breath she was in the middle of taking caught in her throat. Trying her best to hid the fear she felt, she replied with a choked, "Okay."

"Let's sit down." He led her to the nearest bench, their hands still joined. "Look, I know we've been dating for a while, but I really think it would be best for the both of us if we see other people." Ichigo gazed back incredulously at the beloved face before her, searching desperately for any hint of a jest. "And, what...exactly...makes you think that would be better for the _both_ of us?" Masaya sighed, hating the words he was saying, and wishing that he could hug her and tell her this whole thing was a silly game. "I just...don't feel like anything is there anymore."

Ichigo ripped her hands away, moving them to her face, trying to push the tears back in. "There's someone else, right? That's it. I knew I wouldn't be good enough! I knew it!"

"Of course not! Why would y-"

Masaya's protests were interrupted by the sting of a slap across his left cheek. "Damn it, Masaya!" said the girl, using a word typically unfamiliar to her lips, "I may not be the smartest but I'm not stupid!" Masaya looked into Ichigo's angry, flooding eyes, seeing a foul mixture of emotions. It took all his willpower to ignore them, look straight into them, and say, "Yes, okay? Yes. She's amazing, Ichigo, and I can't ignore her anymore. I'm sorry."

A feral shriek escaped from the girl's lips before she stood up, pointed to the trail, and shouted, "Go! Get out of here! Just, go find your new dream girl, and get the hell out of my life!" Masaya took a last look into her eyes, stood, and walked in the direction of her pointing finger. Feigning indifference, he slid his hands into his pockets. He knew she was hurting. He knew it with all his heart, but this was for the best.

He had seen her with Ryou. As much as she claimed to hate him, she would talk about how much she hated him for literal _hours. _When her and Ryou were together, he saw a gleam in her eye that she didn't have with him, a gleam that he hated with everything in him, but a gleam he couldn't ignore. A gleam that told him that he couldn't fool himself anymore. Ryou had the same one to match, and he knew from the first moment he saw them together that Ichigo wasn't his at all. She was, and always would be, Ryou's.

So, with many tears, but no audible sound, Aoyama Masaya walked away, fighting with everything in him to ignore the pained screams behind him.

After Ichigo managed to stop screaming, she sat on the bench, waiting. She didn't know who or what she was waiting for, but she waited, nonetheless. She stared down at the wood of the bench, focusing on the chipped white paint. She picked at it absentmindedly to pass the time. After she had accumulated a small pile of paint chips, she felt a drop on her head. Then another. Then four more. It was raining steadily now. Oh, well.

Brushing the chips off the bench, she suddenly noticed how sleepy she was. Without acknowledging the weather, she laid down, resting her head on her hands. Hearing thunder in the distance, she wondered if lightning would strike her. Nah. She would die of pneumonia before that happened. She wondered if anyone was looking for her or if they would think to look in the park. She hoped not. She hoped that she would just wither away right there. Just wither away like she had never been there. Like she had never had her heart ripped out and stomped on that sunny afternoon.

After however long, she heard a garbled noise. She didn't feel like looking up to see what it was. Testing her muscles, she found that she couldn't move anyway. The noise got a bit louder, and she was able to make out coherent words. "Ichigo? Oh, my God, Ichigo! What on Earth are you doing here? Gah, it doesn't matter. Come on, I'm taking you home." She felt something warm wrap around her, and suddenly, she could tell that she was freezing, it was very dark, and Ryou was the one carrying her.

"Ryou...he left...Masaya left..."she managed to gurgle. The man sighed deeply, squeezing her to his chest tightly. "It's okay, Ichigo. I've got you now."

* * *

"Masaya..." Ichigo whispered, putting her hands over her heart and letting a tear slide down her face. She had never found out who the girl was, and, for the girl's sake, she was quite glad she hadn't. Shaking the memory out of her head, she picked up the new card-a green one-and read the inscription:

_Remember when you got your raise?_

Completely forgetting the sorrow she had felt the second before, Ichigo felt a red hot blush forming on her face. Trying her best to regain her composure, she got up from the bench and headed to her next destination._  
_

_

* * *

_**This chapter is a teeny bit short, I think. Let me know what you think! Criticism is welcome and appreciated.**

**SillyPurpleBubbles  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**It's been a while, I know, but I've been extremely busy as of late, and I had absolutely no time to spend on this. I finally started this chapter at school, and I hope you like it! **

**Your humble servant, **

**SillyPurpleBubbles

* * *

**Ichigo arrived at her next destination shortly: Ryou's bedroom. She had been in here so many times that she could navigate the place blindfolded. She had spent many an afternoon and night in this place. She sat down carefully on the bed-unmade and disheveled as usual-and let her mind wander to the night mentioned on the green card.

* * *

"Darn in, Ryou, I really need a raise. Pleaaase?" whined Ichigo, finally done closing down the cafe. Her hair was mildly untidy, and she had matching bruises on each knee.

The aforementioned blond pinched the bridge of his nose, his hopes that he had suppressed this argument shattered.

"We've been over this before, Momomiya."

"Oh, come on! I work ten times as hard as all the others put together. Don't I deserve a little extra?"

Ryou looked at his girlfriend, sighed, and motioned for her to sit on his lap. She wanted to protest, but, exhausted and sore, she gladly took the offer, reflexively lacing her arms around his neck.

"What will I tell the other girls, huh? I don't want them to think that I'm just giving you special treatment."

"You don't have to. If they find out, I'll take the heat. It doesn't even have to be much."

"What would youi do with it, anyway? I pay for all of our dates."

"Well, maybe I'd like to pay for once!"

"You said you'd as soon as commit seppuku than go Dutch."

"...Touche. But, I like to shop, too. I need new clothes."

"Hm. Going without clothes would be a nice alternative in my opinion."

Ichigo's head shot up, startled by his out-of-character remark. She glared at him. "You've been playing cards with Kish again." Caught, Ryou smirked guiltily. Ichigo heaved a great sigh.

"Look, why are you so opposed to it? I work really hard, and all I'm asking for is-" Ryou landed a kiss on her lips, effectively silencing her rant. Not expecting it, she closed her eyes, kissing him back, her reason for entering the room far behind her. Ryou responded to her with fervor, lightly rubbing her back and tracing the gently rolling bumps of her spine.

Remembering her purpose for coming here, Ichigo tore away from his lips.

"What on Earth was that-" she began to say before noticing his eyes. She had seem them hundreds upon thousands of times before, but not like this. In them, she saw an emotion that ultimately seemed foreign to her love. In his eyes, she saw a passionate hunger, not just for her, but for _her. _Letting her instincts take over, she took his face into her hands, carefully, slowly, pressing their lips together once more.

Ryou immediately took over, grasping the back of her neck and sliding his hand under her shirt, caressing her belly and enjoying the feeling of her soft flesh under his palm.

Ichigo melted under his touch, loving his gently but lusty ministrations. She raked her hands through his feathery hair, scratching mildly. Without breaking from him, she unzipped his vest, ripping it from his shoulders. Curious, she broke the kiss, staring at the hard planes of his chest. Ryou watched her, adoring the innocent blush on her cheeks. He stroked them, pulling her hair down from their pigtails. She looked at him, still blushing. He pushed her hair behind her ears, took her chin, and stared right into her eyes.

"May I make love to you, Ichigo?" She blushed harder, and, in a tiny squeak, replied, "Yes." Ryou chuckled, pulling her into a hug, his head reeling from her scent and what he knew would soon pass between them. He kissed her head. "I love you so much, Ichigo."

She smiled into his neck, replying, "I love you too, Ryou." Without any more words, he picked her up bridal style and laid her on his bed.

Ryou rolled off Ichigo, exhausted and spent, with a thin sheen of sweat blanketing his naked form. He looked over at Ichigo, smiled, and stroked her cheek. She opened her eyes and returned his smile. "Wow."

Ryou chuckled. "Yeah. Wow." Ichigo's eyes suddenly opened wide as she shot up. "My parents! They have no idea where I am! Oh, Dad will have both of our heads if he finds out we-"

"Ichigo, calm down. I took the liberty of calling your mom. She thinks you and the girls are staying over tonight." Ichigo gave him a look. "And, when did you find time to do that?" Ryou grinned slyly. "I have ways, Ichigo. Ways."

"You really have been spending too much time with Kish."

"Look, if you don't quit insulting me, I'm going to have to revoke your new raise!" Ichigo's eyes brightened. "You mean I'm really getting the raise?"

"Well, all things considered, I think you've earned it." said Ryou, eying her bare chest.

"RYOU!"

"OW! Where did you learn to hit like that?"

* * *

Ichigo's smile grew at the memory. She had received double her salary plus five dollars, an addition that both flattered and embarrassed her. She stood from her seat on the bed and looked for the next clue, finding the yellow card on the desk.

_Our little secret_

Ichigo rolled her eyes. "You _would_ want me to remember this one, Ryou." She pocketed the card and exited his room, locking the door of the cafe before setting off for her next destination.

_

* * *

_

**Sorry for taking so long. ^^; It's been a hectic few weeks, and the only reason I got this uploaded was because I took a break from practicing flag. (Auditions for that are a week from Wednesday, by the way. Fingers crossed, please!) So, let me know what you think! Criticism is welcomed and appreciated. **

**Your humble servant, **

**SillyPurpleBubbles**


	4. Chapter 4

**It's almost over, you guys! Chapter 4, here we come!**

**Your humble servant, **

**SillyPurpleBubbles**

* * *

Ichigo opened the door of the cafe, taking a moment to enjoy the scenery that never got old before seating herself at a laminated booth. She brushed off a few cake crumbs from the table before laying her head on in to enjoy the cool of the table top, remembering the evening she and Ryou had made a very big secret indeed. **  
**

**

* * *

**"Ryou, you promised I would get off early two weeks ago! We can't change these reservations!"

"Well, I didn't know I would need you here two weeks ago. Therefore, I cannot be held accountable for that answer."

"...The heck? Yes, you very well can!" Ichigo blew a bit of hair out of her face in distress. She made sure to tell Ryou about this date plenty of time in advance so he would have no loophole to complain, yet he _still_ managed to find one. How she hated him for always screwing up her love life. "Well, whatever. Fire me, yell at me, I don't care. You're not letting this date slip through my fingers, okay? I don't ever get to have any fun with Masaya because I'm either working my tail off here, working my tail off fighting crime, or sleeping my tail back on! So, hit me with your best shot, Mr. Shirogane, because either way, I'm out of here!" Ryou looked at her, feigning surprise.

"Wow, Ichigo. You can articulate pretty well when you get whiny." Ichigo screamed at the ceiling before snatching up her purse, and throwing the door open, using, "I will see you in the morning, Ryou!" as an adequate farewell before marching off to whatever fancy restaurant Masaya had found for them.

Ryou sighed and shook his head, whispering to himself, "Oh, my Ichigo. You just haven't a clue."

While typing in some new data he had found about endangered species, Ryou heard the intrusive sounds of smashing and falling, jolting him from his robotic calculating and researching. He bolted from his seat and ran up the stairs, ready to employ his martial arts on the assailant. He was surprised to find a violently crying Ichigo on the floor, surrounded by the remains of a decorative vase. Ryou took a deep breath, ready to unleash the lecture to end all lectures before the distressed catgirl looked up at him, her face swollen and red from sobbing. "I slammed the door too h-h-hard when I came in and it f-fell. I'm so-sorry." she sputtered, trying to regain some dignity. Ryou let out the great breath he had taken, defeated. He sat next to her, helping her pick up the shards of broken ceramic. "What happened?" he said coolly.

Ichigo took a deep breath and wiped some of the tears from her eyes, not wanting to recount what had just happened to her but knowing she pretty much had no choice with Ryou. "Masaya stood me up. He left a message with the maitre d' saying that he had a last-minute kendo match and couldn't make it." Ryou sniffed, wondering what about kendo was so much more important that Ichigo. "Well, if a stick-waving sport is more important to him than you, I can't see why he's worth your time."

"Of course he's worth my time! He...did you just compliment me, Shirogane?"

"Oh, give me some credit, Momomiya. I can be affectionate every once in a while."

Ichigo snickered. "Could've fooled me."

This touched something with Ryou. "My entire life doesn't revolve around making you miserable, Ichigo."

"Well, it doesn't exactly revolve around being just the littlest bit nice to me either, Shirogane! You never forget to stop and tease me every time I come here, and it doesn't exactly boost my self-esteem, you know!" Ryou glared at the girl, getting inches from her face. Ichigo was a tad frightened, and she half expected him to hit her, but she held her ground. What she didn't expect was for him to kiss her right on the lips.

Ichigo's eyes became the size of saucers as she looked at the face so close to her own, so unmasked and sensitive. From a force beyond her consciousness, because of something beyond her comprehension, Momomiya Ichigo kissed her annoying, rude boss back-a man she had been quarreling with seconds before.

One thing she knew for sure immediately: Masaya had never ever kissed her like this before. _Ever._ His kisses were always, short, light, and still. Ryou lips caressed hers softly, but he still kissed with fervor as if he had been waiting for this moment his whole life. Their movements were twins, never out of sync or Ryou was waking up something in her, a part of her she didn't know existed.

Exiting from her trance and entering cruel reality, Ichigo tore away from Ryou, her eyes recovering their saucer-like countenance. "Oh my God, we...that shouldn't have happened. I'm with Masaya." Ryou mentally kicked himself as he rubbed his forehead and wished he hadn't picked now to make his move. "I know, I know. Look, uh...no one saw us, so no one else has to know. It'll be our little secret, okay?"

Ichigo stood, brushing off invisible dust from her dress. "Right, yeah. Our little secret. Well, it's getting late. I've got to run. See you at work, Ryou." sped Ichigo as she bolted out the door. Ryou's heart flickered a bit from the thrill of hearing his first name in her voice. He whispered to no one in particular. "Bye, Ichigo."

* * *

Ichigo's head spun as she recalled that day. She had always called Ryou by his first name after that, much to the surprise of the other Cafe Mew Mew employees. He made sure that she never forgot that day even before they started dating. The last card, a purple one, sat on the first booth to the right of the cafe.

_You've made it to the last card. Well done. _

_I'll make this one easy on you. Go to Minto's mansion. Wear the dress in your locker in the changing rooms. _

_I'll be waiting for you. I love you.  
_

Excited about getting her gift and wracked with curiosity about what exactly it was, Ichigo made her way to the lockers, ready to find out what Ryou had in store for her.

* * *

**I _hate_ this chapter. **

**You want to know why?**

**All of the data in it got erased and I had to write it again.**

**_TWICE._ **

**So, you people better be happy, because I am so pissed off at this retarded computer and whatever the hell it was that made it go back. **

**Your humble (and very peeved) servant, **

**SillyPurpleFreakingBubblesDangIt  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Well, here we are. The end of _Scavenger Hunt._ I have to say, I have loved writing it. It's probably my favorite story so far. Enjoy!  
**

**Your humble servant, **

**SillyPurpleBubbles**

* * *

Ichigo exited the long, black limo-another one of Ryou's surprises-and surveyed the mansion before her, besting her in size and extravagance. Mint was the average pain at work, but Ichigo had to admit that she was quite intimidated by her when she visited her large chateau. She followed the path up to the door. Standing in front of one of the tall windows that framed the door, she eyed her reflection in the improvised mirror. The dress she wore was a elegant, black, frothy number, and the fabric flowed down her frame like a waterfall. She marveled at Ryou's immaculate taste in dresses, or at least an astonishing understanding of her's. She inhaled deeply, and rapped on the door.

A smartly dressed butler opened the door. "Ah, Miss Momomiya. We have been expecting you. Come this way." With a warm smile, he offered his arm. Returning his smile, she took it, noticing the smell of hydrangeas and gardenias, her all-time favorite flowers. The pair finally reached their destination: the top of a grand staircase which led to a vast sea of people. "Announcing Miss Ichigo Momomiya!" projected the butler to the guests below. The crowed clapped lightly, and Ichigo thought she would liquidate at the sight of the stairs. With every step, her fear of tripping grew. When she reached the bottom, she finally exhaled, glaring at Ryou who was waiting at the base of the staircase.

"You did that on purpose."

Ryou chuckled and kissed the girl lightly. "Yes, I did. I can't help but tease you, Ichigo."

He lead her to the center of the crowd, placed his hand on her hip, and began to twirl her in a slow waltz. "So, this is why you made me take ballroom with you?" Ryou grinned and nodded.

"Well, I'm glad. I figured you were trying to tell me something."

The boy's eyebrows raised in shock. "Yeah, I can tease too, Ryou."

"Oh, shut up and dance."

And dance they did. When the song ended, the crowed clapped. Ryou pulled away from her and looked into her eyes. "You still mad at me?"

"Hmm. Maybe a bit."

Ryou smiled at her warmly. "You won't be."

He then turned to address the crowd. "Attention everyone! I have something to say." The guests all faced Ryou.

"When I first met this woman before you..well let's just say she wasn't my cup of tea." He paused for the laughter. "But, that all changed pretty quickly. When she walked into my cafe every day, the sun went up in my life. When she left, it went down. I did all I could to be near her, even if it mean teasing her relentlessly. I wanted nothing more that her happiness. I love her with everything in me. Ichigo, I live to see you smile, and I hope to make you smile for the rest of your life."

With that, Ryou extracted a black velvet box from his pocket, and got down on one knee. "Ichigo Momomiya, will you make me the happiest man on Earth and marry me?" Ichigo's hand flew up to her mouth, and tears pooled in her eyes. Unable to conjure up the words, she nodded her head fervently. Ryou's face lit up like a struck match as he rose and slipped the ring on her finger. It had a diamond in the center with smaller ones bursting from it. It was perfect. Ryou took Ichigo's face in his hands and looked into her eyes, brushing tears from them, his grin still in place. "I love you so much, Ichigo. Thank you for allowing me to love you forever."

Ichigo smiled as big as she could, "I love you too, my Ryou."

* * *

** Well, there you have it! Be honest, how many of you expected that ending? I was hoping that I would not make it too obvious, but I'm thinking I did. **

**I'm usually not into posting links of stuff, but I wanted you guys to see my vision of the dress and the ring. You don't have to look at them, but the links are in my profile. Just copy and paste. **

**Your humble servant, **

**SillyPurpleBubbles  
**


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